1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a musician's pick or plectrum and, more particularly, to a pick that is used by musicians for playing stringed instruments that are to be plucked or strummed such as guitars, banjos, mandolins, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of pick or plectrum designs are shown in the prior art that are used for playing stringed instruments. In the typical prior art design, the pick is normally formed out of a convenient resilient plastic sheet material, or like composition. In the case of a flat pick, the inner or grip portion of the pick is typically characterized by a relatively large radius inner edge extremity, and by side edges which converge downwardly to a pointed, relatively small radius pick portion for engagement with the stings of the instrument being played, such as an acoustic or electric guitar. In the case of a thumb pick, the pick body includes a thumb engaging portion for coupling the pick to the user's thumb. The pick portion of the pick body extends outwardly from a bottom surface of the thumb engaging portion, generally at a right angle to the thumb. This places the pick portion of the pick body in a plane which is generally parallel to the plane of the strings being struck. In the case of the flat pick, the inner of grip portion of the pick body is usually grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the user and the pick portion of the pick body is again positioned in a plane which is generally parallel to the plane of the strings being struck.
The teachings of the prior art have recognized that the tonal quality of a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, is significantly affected by the orientation of the plane of the pick portion relative to the strings. However, the prior art references generally teach that optimum tonal quality is achieved when the string is strummed or picked with the plane of the pick portion generally parallel to the axis of the string, rather than the picking the string with the edge of the pick. In actuality, the normal playing position of a musician playing, for example an electric guitar, locates the axis of the forearm at an angle relative to the axes of the strings, the angle varying somewhat according to the physical characteristics of the musician. This also places the plane of the pick at the same approximate angle relative to the strings due to the fact that the plane of the pick when held naturally and comfortably between the thumb and forefinger, will normally be approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the musician's forearm.
As a result of these considerations, certain of the prior art pick designs provide for a twist in the overall pick contour. However, the shape or contour of the prior art picks, as well as the provision of a twist or contour in the profile of the pick, has generally been a feature directed toward increasing the comfort in the gripping action by the user when playing the stringed instrument, for example, to locate the axis of the forearm at a lesser relative angle to the axes of the strings of the instrument.
These variations in pick design were, therefore, often an attempt to keep the plane of the pick portion of the pick body in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the strings being struck. As a result of the foregoing discussion, it will be appreciated that the prior art generally teaches away from the use of a pick which orients the pick portion of the pick body at a right angle to the grip portion of the pick body. Some of the prior art designs have altered the plane of the pick portion of the pick body from being completely parallel to the plane of the string being plucked or strummed. However, as has been mentioned, this was generally done to increase the comfort level of the user so that the user could hold the pick in a relaxed manner while maintaining the desired orientation of the pick. In other words, many of the prior art designs were intended to eliminate the need for the user to cock the wrist and experience fatigue that typically accompanies such an unnatural or cramped position. In addition, it has been found that cocking of the wrist tends to make it more difficult to rapidly strum the strings when playing music having a fast tempo, as well as other situations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,663 shows a prior art pick design in which the strumming tip is supported on the end of a “handle portion.” The strumming tip apparently continues to be arranged parallel to the guitar strings, however.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,773 apparently contemplates altering the plane of the pick from its usual general parallel alignment with the strings. The apparent “optimum angulation” taught by this reference is 20° (column 5, lines 39-40). The reference does not appear to contemplate a 90° angle, however.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,341 shows a thumb pick that has an intermediate portion which is formed so that the pick portion is rotated to a pre-determined angular relationship of the pick plane relative to the thumb plane (Abstract). However, it does not appear from the drawings or discussion to contemplate a 90° angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,374 shows an unconventional “speed pick” having a frusto-conic al end which converges to a point. In a sense, this pick could be said to have an infinite angle with respect to the plane of the strings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,243 shows a pick with a pick portion attached to a ring portion. The pick portion projects from the ring at a selected angle from the plane of the ring portion. FIGS. 4-8 show various configurations of the pick portion of the device. However, as discussed at column 3, lines 47-54, the preferred angularity between the pick portion and ring is about 22°.
Despite the above advances in pick designs, a need continues to exist for further improvements in the design of a pick for a musical instrument which provides a novel orientation of the pick portion of the pick body in order to provide a different tonal quality to the instrument being played while providing a relaxed playing stance or position.